HARTFORD -- The Wolf Pack (14-12-1-3, 32 pts.) banked three of a possible six points in three home games this past week. A season-high Pack winless streak stretched to six games (0-4-1-1) last Friday, when the Wolf Pack lost 5-2 to the Portland Pirates, but the club rebounded last Saturday night to post a 2-1 overtime win over their GEICO Connecticut Cup rivals, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Last Sunday saw the Albany River Rats beat the Wolf Pack, 2-1 in a shootout, snapping a Wolf Pack franchise-record streak of 13 straight wins vs. the Rats. Steve Valiquette registered his first AHL win of the season last Saturday, stopping 25 out of 26 Bridgeport shots, and Brodie Dupont (1-2-3) and Matt Gilroy (three assists) led the way offensively, with three points apiece.

THIS WEEK

The Wolf Pack see their first Western Conference opponent this week, as they finish off a five-game homestand. The Toronto Marlies invade the XL Center Friday and the Hamilton Bulldogs come to town Saturday evening. Both games face off at 7 p.m.

Friday vs. Toronto at

the XL Center, 7 p.m.

Being a Friday home game, this is a Guida's Family Value Night. Family Value packages start as low as $45 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir. Guida's Family Value Night packs are available at the XL Center box office and online at hartfordwolfpack.com.

Nationally-known recording artist Eric Hutchinson will be on hand at this game and will perform live in the first intermission.

Every fan who brings a donation for the Connecticut Children's Place to this game will receive a half-price voucher for the purchase of a grey or red-level seat to the Wolf Pack's home game on Dec. 30. A complete list of suggested donation items can be found at hartfordwolfpack.com, under the "Community" section.

Santa will be setting up shop in the XL Center Atrium during this game, meeting and greeting fans and distributing candy canes.

This is the first of two meetings on the year, and the fifth all-time, between the Wolf Pack and the Marlies. The two clubs have split four previous battles.

The Marlies are 12-10-2-2 for 28 points on the season, which puts them in sixth place in the North Division.

Toronto's offense is led by a pair of rookie wingers, Viktor Stalberg (8-12-20 in 18 GP) and Christian Hanson (8-11-19 in 20 GP), who rank tied for fourth and tied for eighth, respectively, in scoring among AHL first-year players.

Saturday, December 19 vs. Hamilton at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

The first 3,000 fans into this game, the Wolf Pack's last pre-Christmas contest, will receive a free Sonar bobblehead, courtesy of Click It or Ticket.

Fans can again see Santa at this game. He will be in the XL Center Atrium, spreading good cheer and handing out candy canes.

For a second straight night, every fan who brings a donation for the Connecticut Children's Place to the game will receive a half-price voucher for the purchase of a grey or red-level seat to the Wolf Pack's home game on December 30. A complete list of suggested donation items can be found at www.hartfordwolfpack.com , under the "Community" section.

The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Guy Boucher, have the AHL's second-best defensive record, with an average goals-against of 2.07 per game on the year. Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins (8-4-1, 1.45, 94.4, 4 SHO) is tied for the league lead in shutouts and ranks second among AHL netminders in goals-against average and save percentage.

This is the ninth all-time meeting between the Wolf Pack and Bulldogs, who swept a two-game season series last year. The Pack are 3(W)-4(L)-1(OTL) all-time vs. Hamilton , 2-2-0 at the XL Center.

Hamilton (16-6-2-3, 37 pts.) is unbeaten in regulation in its last six games (5-0-1-0) and is only two points behind division-leading Rochester in the North.